Sloppy Piloting

"Jay Honeck" wrote:

I love some of the threads you start, Jay. :-)

[snip]
As I'm typing this, I'm trying to remember the last time I opened my
sectional chart. With a Lowrance 2000c on the pilot's yoke, and a Garmin
496 in the panel, there is literally no reason for us to EVER open a
sectional anymore. Both of those instruments have far more information than
a chart could ever display -- yet I feel sloppy for not having opened my
paper map in the last dozen or so flights.

I have a tandem aircraft (Varga), and the partner I fly with most
frequently and I each have portable Garmin 296s that we use on every
flight. The panel page gives the backseat pilot some instruments he/she
can't see on the actual panel, and it's a backup if the actual
instruments fail (we're planned to be only VFR).

In addition, if ALL GPS/nav equipment fails, I also make specific "nav
cards" for every flight designating the headings and altitudes to fly,
frequencies along the route, distance/pattern & runway info and
alternates; on the back, I make a copy of the sectional with a line
showing the route, and then I laminate the whole thing. Most cards are
half-page, and I keep them in a half-page size binder in the airplane.
Can fit most on ONE half-page, but use one for each leg of longer x-cs.
So...we always have the info/sectional backup if the other, more
convenient methods of navigation, fail. I make two of each laminated
card, so both front- and back-seat pilot have one.

This also saves having to write down the same info *every time* you go
to frequently chosen destinations, and having to unfold and find the
part of the sectional you need *if* you need it. It is especially
helpful when you make a longer flight that you haven't done in 2 or 3
years ... instead of trying to remember and argue about what route you
flew, you can just pull the cards and see what it was and it's easy to
update if need be (most of the time, it's all the same). Sometimes I add
info I didn't realize we needed until AFTER we've made the flight or
comments we should remember for next time.

With two pilots on board, we have a good system to offset any inclination to
get too sloppy -- it's called "spouse pressure". For example, if I fly a
non-rectangular pattern, I'm sure to hear about it -- and vice versa. But
even after 30 years we can't read each other's minds, and -- especially
after a long lay-off from flying -- it's easy to develop sloppy thought
processes. Piloting requires linear thinking, and much of it is habit
developed over time, so it's the first thing to go when you haven't flown
much.

I'm interested in hearing what you do to combat the human tendency toward
sloppiness? Any tricks that you might use, or methods you might employ?

We use a system similar to what you describe as "spouse pressure" that
we refer to as "backseat piloting" (ala "backseat driving"). Pilot in
the backseat is responsible for reading the checklist to the frontseat
pilot as he/she calls for various sections of it, double-verifies the
steps, keeps a vigilant eye for traffic (I can't begin to say how many
times we've commented that without two sets of eyeballs in the cockpit,
it would be much more difficult to see-and-avoid *and* fly at the same
time, especially with the difficulty understanding the quality of
"English" spoken over the radio these days), and occasionally makes
suggestions that cause the threat of the backseat intercom to be shut
off!

Sounds like a lot of work, but being a relatively low-time pilot, making
the cards is a way for me to familiarize myself with the details of each
flight (I have a home office with all the equipment needed to make the
cards, so that makes it easier, too), and then all the info is readily
available for re-familiarizing each time. And my higher-time partner has
said it's helpful, too, so it works well for us.

Shirl

Sounds like a lot of work, but being a relatively low-time pilot, making
the cards is a way for me to familiarize myself with the details of each
flight (I have a home office with all the equipment needed to make the
cards, so that makes it easier, too), and then all the info is readily
available for re-familiarizing each time. And my higher-time partner has
said it's helpful, too, so it works well for us.

I used to do something very similar to this, back in our pre-GPS,
pre-two-pilot days. I found my "cheat sheets" to be extremely helpful,
especially when flying into unknown or big-city airports.

These sheets really help because they eliminate more than a few things to
remember. As a new(er) pilot, I remember feeling like I was close to
mental overload when flying into complex airspace, and anything you can do
to minimize that load is definitely helpful.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

These sheets really help because they eliminate more than a few things
to remember. As a new(er) pilot, I remember feeling like I was close
to mental overload when flying into complex airspace, and anything you
can do to minimize that load is definitely helpful.

One of the handiest "cheat sheets" you can find are the terminal
procedures, or approach plates. Even if I'm not flying IFR I
always bring a set with me. All the information you need to
know about an airport is on one piece of paper.